Hello Tweets,
On Monday, June 25, Nancy Taylor, Kit Travis, and I birded the North
Cascades Highway corridor from Burlington to Winthrop, then up to Sullivan
Pond above Lake Pearygin and over to Buck Lake. We had 83 species with some
highlights worth noting here, especially in terms of their potentially easy
access to some of you.
At the County Line Ponds just south of Newhalem (Skagit/Whatcom County
line), we had a male American Redstart fairly low down in mixed maple and
cottonwood. In addition, we estimated hearing at least 3 separate Red-eyed
Vireos calling continuously during the 45 minutes we were there. We weren't
able to get good looks at them due to their high placement in the cottonwood
canopy. Also, right out on the highway, there was a Red-breasted Sapsucker
banging away on the Whatcom County road sign. Quite the percussionist.
Later, we also had a good looks at both Williamson and Red-naped Sapsuckers
(Buck Lake and Washington Pass, respectively).
At Sullivan Pond just north of Lake Pearygin, among others, we had a Least
Flycatcher, mixed flocks of Red-breasted, White-breasted, and Pygmy
Nuthatches foraging through the pine forests nearby...AND, an apparently out
of range Marsh Wren calling from the cattails at the pond itself.
The other especially noteworthy spot was right at Washington Pass where we
found an apparently mated pair of Pine Grosbeaks in the same tree with two
Clark's Nutcrackers: a really terrific opportunity for comparison between
these two specialty birds. We had these birds right at the entrance to the
rest and lookout area on the edge of a large marshy, open meadow area to the
north.
Good luck and good birding,
Joe Mackie
jmackie at cc.wwu.edu
Bellingham